[Corin Stormhands]

If that was the case, then the death and torture throughout the book would have been minimized. Rowlings didn’t mind describing a scene straight out of Nazi Germany (The Muggle-born wizards at the ministry) or Hermione being tortured, but she was afraid that eight-year-olds might be upset that Harry died...

Ohfercryinoutloud, Mommy never read you any "happily ever after stories" did she?

As Jen said upthread. It's a fairy tale. Awful things happen, but good wins in the end. I seriously doubt J.K. Rowling was "afraid that eight-year-olds might be upset."

But I think that she, obviously unlike you, understood the audience for which she was writing.

It wasn't me. It wasn't you.

[Accygirl]

Of course she did... I was quite a fan of the Disney Princesses to the point that we had to take turns playing Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming. In fact, she would have NEVER let me read Deathly Hallows when I was seven because the deaths in the book would have given me nightmares, and she believed in protecting her daughter from evil until she was ready.

The point that I was making was the fact that J.K. Rowlings wasn’t writing Harry Potter for the young elementary set. The books, especially the latter books, were meant for tweens/ teens. When I was ten, I could have handled Harry’s death.

I understand that seven year olds parents might let them read Deathly Hallows (and I think that it’s wrong on their parts), but I don’t think that Rowlings should have to change her vision just because some parents are willing to subject their seven year olds to the harsh realities of life.